Conquering Shadows

Ever since I began digital scrapping, shadows have been my nemesis.  I just never felt I could get them right or get those cool effects that so many others were achieving.  I followed tutorial after tutorial, paid attention to templates that were pre-shadowed.  It was just too much effort and thinking when doing pages I just wanted to get finished.  Scrapping wasn't much fun, being too worried about getting shadows down.  Well, life is different now, things have changed.  A couple weeks ago Tanya of Crossbone Cuts designs released a set of styles--what are those?--for shadowing, Shadow Like Tanya.  I have seen other shadows set before, but never quite understood them.  Since I'm on Tanya's team I'm able to try these out ahead of time and Oh My Gosh!  I'm in love.  I can shadow!!!

This set includes two sets of shadows.  One up and one down.  Installation is easy in Photoshop.  Just open the folder, double click on the .asl file and it will automatically install into your styles palette.  Tanya has named all the files for easy reference.  I think I already have their positions memorized too.  When you need to shadow something, highlight your layer and click the appropriate style.  Done!  Faster and easier than messing with your drop shadow windows. 

When I have a template that I want to manipulate, that too is easy.  I'll leave most of the shadows as is, but when dealing with some of the elements, I want the deeper and darker shadows of the styles.  I use those, but make sure to check the angle degree on the templates and keep those the same.  Don't want my shadows going all over the place! 

I love how all the shadows are different.  Some are really deep others quite shallow.  I never thought I'd like the differences, but it makes such a difference.  Here are two pages I recently completed with Tanya's Shadows.  For the first, I used a template from Little Green Frog--a new template addiction I fear. (Be sure to check out her blog freebies.)  The second page is my own design.  Really loving my clustering now.  The shadows make such a difference!

Template by Little Green Frog.
Most backgrounds and Elements from Haynay Designs, My Magical Place collection
Confetti from Britt-ish Designs
Frame and Mickey crystals by Sahlin Studios

Everything from Scrap Matters Collab, Island Cruising, now retired.
Hidden Mickeys by Sahlin Studios (my go-to Mickey element)

I am even more overwhelmed by the shadows.  For the first time since scrapping, I am getting compliments on my shadows and clustering.  Something I never expected.  So Tanya knows what she's doing and I'm so glad she's willing to share it with us.  My hope is that a second series of shadows, for even more element options will be released in the future.  If there are, you'll hear about them here that's for sure!